YAOUNDE, Cameroon: Emmanuel Kund茅, Cameroon鈥檚 defensive anchor on the first African team to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup, has died, the country鈥檚 soccer federation said. He was 68.

Kund茅 scored a penalty against England in the last eight of the 1990 World Cup in Italy before the Indomitable Lions lost in extra time. He also played at the 1982 World Cup when Cameroon made its tournament debut.

鈥淗is death is a huge loss for Cameroonian soccer,鈥� the country鈥檚 football federation said in a statement late Friday.

Federation president Samuel Eto鈥檕 hailed Kund茅 as the 鈥渃ontrol tower鈥� and 鈥渄efensive wall鈥� on the field.

Kund茅 twice helped the team win the Africa Cup of Nations 鈥� in 1984 and 1988. His second-half penalty was the difference in Cameroon鈥檚 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the 鈥�88 final in Casablanca.

He made over 100 appearances for the national team.

鈥淗e was an intelligent and peaceful man filled with dignity and had a precise magic foot,鈥� Emmanuel Maboang Kessack, a former team member told The Associated Press. 鈥淲e will never forget him.鈥�

Kund茅 died of cardiac arrest in his own home, Maboang Kessack said.

Kund茅 also played club football in France for Reims and Laval, but his main team was Canon de Yaound茅 in Cameroon鈥檚 capital.